Electric craft: Britain’s new EV

The British have a reputation for building some tantalising low-volume cars, such as the Ariel Atom or the V-Storm WR3, and now you can add the Alcraft GT to that list.

The brainchild of start-up Alcraft Motor Company, the Alcraft GT is an electric vehicle due to start low-volume production in 2019, depending on how successful its newly launched crowdfunding campaign will be. At this stage virtual engineering is complete, and the next step is to build a full working prototype.

The new EV isn’t another electric supercar, rather a British-produced version of the Tesla Model S, though it’s hard really to pick out a direct competitor. Designed in the shooting brake style it features a wraparound windscreen and a mostly glass roof, with a touch of iRobot in the front and more than a little inspiration from Jaguar-Land Rover at the back.

It’s early days yet, but projected figures weigh in at 600hp and a whopping 1,139 Nm torque, paired to a four-wheel drive set-up that delivers 0-100km/h in around 3.5 seconds. Presumably if you drive it like you’d be tempted to, your range would be far below their anticipated 480km on a single charge, though it sounds like there might be a petrol range-extender version like you’d find in the BMW i3.

It appears it will be quite practical too, with four seats and 500L of storage space. Basically, it’s an opportunity to experience lightspeed with your kids in the back. And won’t come cheap – provisional pricing is around the €155,000 mark.

There have been quite a few nifty ideas that have never made it to full production, and some of you may be wondering whether the Alcraft GT will ever exist beyond a small-scale model, but quite a few big names are throwing their weight behind it. The drivetrain comes courtesy of Silverstone-based Delta Motorsport, Continental will provide the safety systems it needs to stay between the lines, and none other than Michelin has been lined up to supply the tyres. You might also recognise the name Charles Morgan – grandson of H. F. S. Morgan himself – who brings quite a bit of experience to the development process.

Alcraft has raised about £6,000 so far to get their electric show on the road, a rewards-based crowdfunding endeavour with all sorts of watches and electric bikes to tempt people into investing. If your interest is piqued (ours certainly is), see alcraftmotor.com.